


Crashed and Burned

by FictionalPerson



Series: A Crazy Little Thing Called Life [1]
Category: How I Met Your Mother, Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Bisexual Clary Fray, Bisexual Isabelle Lightwood, Bisexual Jace Wayland, Bisexual Simon Lewis, Complicated Relationships, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Drama & Romance, F/F, F/M, M/M, New York City, Soldiers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-19 03:23:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14865665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionalPerson/pseuds/FictionalPerson
Summary: Jace is an ex-soldier, discharged from the Army due to injury. Jace is left bitter and angry. He seeks love, but at this point, it seems very unlikely. But alas, he does, in fact, get married. To who? The question remains . . .Alec tells his kids the long story of how Jace finally got married, as a cautionary tale. It also happens to be the story of how Simon, Izzy, Alec, Magnus, and Clary get their happy ending.So, follow the telenovela that is their lives in the first part of The Jace Diaries.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is loosely based on the CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. It is about Jace, not Clace. So, they may not end up together. He ends up with whoever I feel Jace wants to end up with (I hope I don't sound crazy!) Alec tells the story, so it will technically be in the first person, but most of it is in third since Alec is the narrator.

_2030_

_Magnus and Alec's house, Pennsylvania_

 

"Now, Kids," I said, facing my two children - Max and Raphael. "I tell you this story as a precaution. I am warning you on what not to do when you want to get married. Because you should not do what Uncle Jace did."

"Why," asked Raphael. Max looked at his brother then back at me - his face puzzled - and nodded, as a sign that he agreed with his brother's question.

"Yeah, why?" Max huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. It was clear he was unhappy with the statement. He had always admired Jace, looked up at him with awe - something Magnus found funny - thinking he could do no wrong. So, understandably, when someone claims otherwise, he gets defensive.

"Well . . ." I tried to explain, but it was difficult. It was long and way too complicated. "I can't really explain it very quickly. It's a long and very detailed story. You need to hear it from the beginning." I bit my lip.

"Well," Rafael made a forward motion with his hands. "If you can't do it fast, then tell the story completely."

"Are you sure?" They nodded. "Well, okay. But don't tell your papa I told you the story. It could get a little . . . explicit."

Rafael gave an irritated look. "We're not babies. We have had the "birds and the bees" talk before."

Sighing, I said, "Fine. I'll tell you the story of how Uncle Jace got married. I should tell you, these personal facts came from you're uncle's very own diary"- I coughed - " I mean journal."

Max erupted into a fit of giggles. "Uncle Jace had a diary!"

Rafael slapped him upside on the head. "Hey," I reprimanded. "This family does not allow hitting!"

He mumbled out a 'sorry' and looked down, fiddling his thumbs. "Now, I'll begin with the story. It all began when Aunt Izzy hit" - Rafael snorted - "Uncle Jace on the face - hard - on January 18th, 2011 . . ."

"But that was Jace's birthday - " Max gasped. Raphael let out an aggravated sigh.

"Dad," Raphael whined, pointing at his brother. "If you're going to tell the story, can he leave?"

"Yes, Max, it was." I sighed, ignoring Raphael's comment and looked at my other son. "Max, and Raphael, if I'm going to tell this story, you're going to have to not interrupt, okay? And no. It's a learning experience to hear this story. Maybe even more important than school! And way more entertaining, at least to me." It was true. Jace's story on how he finally got married was so entertaining to think and reminisce about. He had been so stupid!

Raphael muttered something about how me liking it was exactly why he wouldn't, and other nonsense like that. If only they knew, I thought.

They nodded their heads in understanding - Raphael was more reluctant - and snuggled into the couch. I breathed through my nose, preparing to tell the story of almost every embarrassing thing that has ever happened to my family and me, and began again. "The story of how Jace got married started on Jace's birthday, January 18th, 2011, when Aunt Izzy slapped Uncle Jace on the cheek - hard . . ."


	2. Thank God for Near-Death Experiences!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Jace's 20th birthday party, Jace's family start to realize that Jace has changed drastically. But they don't say anything, even when his changes become a problem. Izzy and Alec meet a stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.  
> This is not Clace. This is a Jace story.
> 
> Letterbox - They Might be Giant  
> Lotion - Greenskeepers  
> La Costa Brava - Ted Leo and The Pharmacists  
> Laughing With - Regina Spektor  
> Maniac And I - Laura Marling

_January 17th, 2011_

_1 A.M_

_Hunter's Moon_

"The story of how Jace got married started on Jace's birthday, January 18th, 2011, when Aunt Izzy slapped Uncle Jace on the cheek - hard. It had been a Tuesday, so the club we were hanging at had it's Tuesday special: Tuesday's Doomsday. Where they served the hardest and strongest alcohol for half its original price. The slogan was, THE HANGOVER IS SO BAD, YOU'LL ACTUALLY THINK IT WAS DOOMSDAY!

Papa and I had just gotten engaged. We didn't want to tell anyone, well, because it was Jace's 20th birthday. I was twenty-two and Papa was twenty-five. Jace had just come back from his first - and final - tour of duty in the Marines.

Jace's time in the war had really changed him. He was still arrogant, but he had this aura of maturity and wisdom that surrounded him. It was startling. Gone was the boy who played mean jokes on girls and boys, bullied little kids, and dumped girls and boys left and right. Instead, we got this guy who still slept around - oh, the number of people he had had sex with was prodigious - I mean, him not getting some sort of disease, was impossible. But he changed his life around; he read books, though he still went to the gym regularly, but he . . . cared - about people. He had been honorably discharged after getting badly injured. He was extremely pissed at that. And in the end, he looked a lot older than he was, but not in a bad way; all the women fawned over him-but he stopped looking like a teenager, and a more sophisticated, 'hot', young man.

So, there we were, sitting, drinking, and havin' fun! Mind you, Jace was pretty drunk already, so he could only come up with more stupid ideas. And that's what he did.

"I am" - he hiccuped - "going to" - another hiccup - "drink my" - he stood up, letting out another hiccup, and having difficulty to find his footing - "way to the top!" As Jace was speaking, he only got louder and louder, grabbing the bar's attention, and at last shouting. The whole bar had screamed. They were also pretty wasted. Papa and I cheered along with everyone, Izzy clapping, and screaming her excitement.

Looking back, it was a weird experience. Jace had never drunk before that night, but something happened that night that he wouldn't tell us about until months later. And it is not important right now.

Since he never drank before that night, he couldn't hold his liquor very well - even though he was insistent that he could - and ultimately passed out.

He sat down again and ordered a full tray of shots - Sierra Silver Tequila. He took the tip of the shot glass to his lips, and tipped it back, chugging it, causing the whole bar to erupt in cheers. He did it several times over until the tray was half empty. He shook his head and smiled, but then stood up. The whole bar cheered again - it was basically the only thing they could do. But then the smile faded, and his glazed, unfocused eyes widened slightly, tears rimming his eyes, and he threw up on the floor next to where he stood.

Izzy squealed, jumping up. "Jace!" He looked at her, confused, and then he finally lost his footing, falling onto the floor, into his own puke. Izzy screamed. Immediately everyone sobered up. I shuffled quickly through the crowd of people surrounding him, kneeling beside him. Izzy knelt by his other shoulder. Magnus - Papa - knelt the top, hovering over his face, staring into his eyes, watching if he went unconscious or not.

He was still conscious, but his breathing was irregular. All he had felt, according to his diary's - I mean journal - was his body giving up. Failing. He felt the irregular heartbeats, the exhaustion in his body, the refusal. It was the scariest thing he said to ever have happened to him. He couldn't feel his arms and legs, he was that tired. He didn't even feel the sickness anymore, just the weariness in his bones. He could barely see Magnus staring down at him, that was how blurry his eyes had been.

Jace had then just closed his eyes, and we knew he lost conscience. We knew he wasn't dead, mostly because his heart was still beating, just at a very irregular rate.

"I called for an ambulance!" Someone shouted. The whole bar was loud with the mumbling of the crowd. Everyone was nervous, chatting away about the events that happened seconds ago.

Then he opened his eyes and mumbled out to Magnus, "You should put the lotion in the basket." Then his eyes closed again. Izzy, though she was utterly concerned, snorted. Magnus huffed out a laugh. The bar had gone silent, but then the room had burst into chuckles. Admittedly, what Jace said was funny - not that I cared at the moment.

We all watched intently for a few minutes, but then we heard ambulances coming and everyone moved around the bar.

Someone had walked out and informed the paramedics that Jace was in the bar. When they loaded him up into the ambulance Izzy and I both tried to get in but were informed that "only one can ride in the ambulance with him."

We looked at each other, and Izzy smirked. "No, no," I exclaimed. "I go with him."

"Why do you go?" She rose an eyebrow at me.

"I'm his brother." She stared at me, her mouth agape. She shook her head.

"Unbelievable!" She threw her arms up into the air. "I am his sister just as much you are his brother. And if I want to go, I'll go -"

"No, I'll go -" I was about to explain, but Magnus had said, "I'll go!"

We both looked at him surprised. "What? Why?" Izzy demanded, her arms falling to her sides.

"Because you having a debate about which one loves him and wants to be with him more is only going to fuel his ego," he paused, glancing at Jace strapped to the gurney in the ambulance, and smirked. "And more importantly, the longer it takes for you to decide, the longer it takes to take him to the hospital to get help!"

He had a point, so I agreed, albeit reluctantly. Izzy sighed, biting her lip. She looked away, at the sign of the bar, and then back at Magnus. "Fine, you go, but keep us updated while in there, okay?"

He nodded, walking past us and into the ambulance. A paramedic closed the doors with both Jace and Magnus in it and sped off.

Looking at my watch, I had noticed that it was four a.m.. The block was quiet, or as quiet as it could be in Manhattan. The street lamps were on, and we could see the homes of several people. As I examined the apartments, I heard a phone ringing - Izzy's phone.

"Yeah, Hello?" I heard her say. "Yes, I would like to call a Taxi . . ." She then told them our address.

* * *

_4:10 A.M_

_Waiting for Taxi outside Hunter's Moon_

As we were waiting, a fellow with brown hair and glasses sat on the sidewalk, silently. He had jeans and sneakers on, as well as a t-shirt that said 'champagne enema'. I stifled a laugh. He pulled out headphones from his bag and sighed.

Izzy and I look at each other, and then the man. I walked up to the man and tapped his shoulder.

"Excuse me?" I said. The man looked up at me, his eyes wide, his head bobbing to the music that I had been able to hear from a foot away. He took off his headphones, and said, "Yes?"

"Hi, you seem lost . . ."

He chuckled and then sighed. "No," he shook his head. "I can't catch a taxi, can't call one 'cause I lost my phone, and then my airline lost my bag, which had my phone - which is why it's lost."

I clicked my tongue. "That sucks, I'm sorry." He nodded his head. "Where are you heading?"

"The hospital. My friend is a nurse over there." He explained.

"Which hospital?" I asked, having an idea.

"Jacobi," he looked up at me, his eyebrows furrowed. "Why," he asked cautiously.

"Well, we could give you a ride." I offered. His eyebrows shot up.

"Really?" He was so surprised. "Who said New Yorker's weren't nice! Thanks!" He stood up, shaking my hand.

"It's not a problem, really. We're heading there anyway."

"No, thank you. I hate New York!" Just as he said that a Taxi pulled up.

Izzy smiled at the driver and opened the door. She climbed in. I turned to look at the man. He was staring at me strangely. "You look familiar -"

"Let's go! Our brother is in the hospital, and you're talking to strangers," she exclaimed.

"Sorry, sorry," I said schooching in. "The guy is coming with us," I explained. She shrugged in response. "As long as he doesn't delay us."

"He won't," I assured her. "He's going to the same place."

I poked my head out the window to look at the guy, who was standing on the street awkwardly. "Get in," I yelled. He scurried over to the taxi, opening the door and sitting in the front seat.

Izzy, who sat behind the driver, leaned forward and told the man where to. "Jacobi Medical Center," she said. The driver nodded and stepped on the gas, starting the drive.

We didn't bother buckling, so it was easier for the man to look behind at us. Izzy, who was staring out the window, turned to look at him. She looked him up and down, and sneered.

"Hey!" He protested. "What's the face for?"

She rose an eyebrow and smirked. "You look like some creepy, rapist dude," she snorted.

He glared at her. "I am not. And you look like a girl I saw in a photo. I heard she was annoying as fuck and didn't care about anything but looks!" He crossed his arms over his chest and sat properly into the seat.

"Alec," she said to me. "Did you really have to pick up filth off the street?" she said.

I gave her a look and sighed. "Izzy, just because he talked back to you does not mean he is some horrible human being who deserves to rot in hell."

"Still," she mumbled.

After that, it was the car. I would have liked it, but now it was just awkward silence. So I was very relieved when Izzy asked a question. "Who are you, anyway?"

He looked at her, and his face instantly broke out into a grin."Lewis, Simon Lewis." He snapped his fingers at her. She scowled at him. I laughed, and so did the driver.

"Well -" Izzy was about to say something, but the driver said, very loudly, "We're here. The entrance to Jacobi!"

"You are very lucky, rat," Izzy growled. She opened the door and stepped out, grabbing her bag, and ran almost flawlessly in her heels to the hospital doors.

"Sorry about her," I said. Simon was about to say something, but I said, "she isn't her when she's hungry. That's why we keep snickers around." Simon laughed, throwing his head back. The driver chuckled as well.

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious." He said, smiling. He opens the door to the cab and steps out. I follow him, stepping out myself. "Thanks for the ride." He said, shaking my hand.

"Really it was no problem." He walks to the entrance, and I turn around, pulling out my wallet. "How much?"

"Forty," he said.

I nodded, pulling out two twenty's. "Thanks, sorry for my sister."

"I've seen worse," he said before speeding off. I turned to face the entrance, and I walked in.

* * *

January _17th, 2018_

_7 A.M_

_Jacobi Medical Center_

Uncle Jace had woken up to the sounds of machines beeping. He looked around and saw that he was in a hospital room. Jace had seen me and Izzy on the chairs, sleeping. We were very drunk also, that was why Aunt Izzy was so crabby.

When he tried to talk, he had a horrible headache, and his heart rate sped up, the machines, in turn, beeping rapidly. It had woken us up. It was the worst headache of his life, and as the day progressed, they stayed and left, each one hurting as much as the last. Apparently, it was because of lack of water to the brain.

We called for the nurses, who came in. They gave him medicine, but it didn't really do anything for the pain.

But once the pain left, after an hour or so, Izzy sat on his bed and told him, "Oh, Jace! I was so worried!" She hugged him tightly, leaving him groaning. But Jace had really appreciated the hug. He was scarred for life after almost dying.

When Izzy pulled away, emitting another groan from Jace, she shrieked, "How dare you do that to us? How dare you do something so stupid?" She went close to his face and slapped him on the cheek.

At the same time, a nurse walked in. "We do not allow hitting! Especially to patients!"

Izzy whipped her head to look at the nurse who had interrupted her slapping-fest. "You don't tell me what I can and don't do to my brother!" She hollered. It seemed that she was still a little tipsy.

"Yes, I do."

Izzy was glaring at the nurse, who was frowning. They were having a staring contest, and the nurse who was 5'2, had red hair, green eyes, and freckles won. "Fine," Izzy gave in. "I," she said pointing to Jace, "will talk to you later."

"I am going to go . . . calm her down. Be right back." I said. I walked out with, leaving Jace and the nurse alone. Jace had been completely entranced by the nurse. "Hi," he said, grinning at her.

She snorted, shaking her head. He frowned, confused. She explained. "Your charms, I'm sure, would have worked had you not been covered in your own puke, your incisor tooth chipped, and your hair looking absolutely horrible."

He placed his hands on his heart. "Did you just call me ugly?"

"No, I implied it." She smirked.

"That's rude." She hummed her agreement. "Well, you have the ugliest bags under your eyes, you look horrid." He smirked. He had been lying. All he saw when he looked at her bags was hard work and perseverance, and that's all he would ever see.

She opened her mouth then closed it again. She was speechless. It filled Jace with pride. "These are the signs of hard work," she snorted. "Which you probably have never seen, with your rich boy looks and life." She shook her head in disgust. That time, Jace had been thoroughly offended. He had found it so rude to judge someone by their looks. To judge someone so easily. It was, Jace had always thought, completely out of line to judge someone so easily. Like you had no respect. Which, at the time, she didn't.

"Well, if you get to judge me by the way I look, then it's only fair I do the same to you."

She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "You're a nurse, obviously. But you live in the slums, with your crappy family, and your crappy life. You demand sympathy from others but is completely ignorant of others. I am I right?"

"You're a son of a bitch, you know that?" She said. "How dare you judge me -"

"Like you judged me?" He counteracted. She shook her head.

"I'm here to check your vitals. Your thumb, please." She held out the pulse oximeter - for a long time, he called it the thumb machine until she corrected him.

"Doesn't feel nice, does it?" He said, after a short pause. She looked up at him and sighed.

"Your right," she said as she was about to leave. "It doesn't feel nice. But you have no right to do it to me -"

"Well, you have no right to do it to me." He challenged.

"Fine, I respect you, you respect me. Deal?" She offered. He held out his hand and she took it, shaking it.

"Thank you," he called as she was walking out, wheeling machines out.

She turned and asked, "For what,"

"For giving me a second chance," he said. She smiled softly, looking down at the floor. When she looked up at him, her eyes told him she was amused.

"I didn't give you a second chance. I still think you are an ass. Just one I can respect." She said, at last leaving Jace alone.

"Thank you for respecting me, Ms. Clary Fray," he called.

"Thank you for respecting me," she called back.

* * *

January _18th, 2011_

_12 P.M._

_The Lightwood's apartment_

"You know," Jace said, walking into the apartment. "I really liked the nurse."

"I didn't," Izzy called from the kitchen. The apartment was very large and very fancy. Mostly because what Clary Fray said was true. We were wealthy. It had floor-to-ceiling windows, with a clear view of the city below. It had several apartments.

"Yeah, you didn't," I said. "You almost ripped her face off, like that guy from the cab!" I laughed.

"What guy from the cab?" Jace asked. He didn't like that he missed so much. He hated it. Hated not knowing.

"Oh, we shared a taxi with a guy, and, well, you know how Izzy get when drunk," I sipped from my beer.

"Oh, yes I do," Jace drawled, touching his red face lightly. "Thanks, Iz. I really liked getting slapped."

She smirked. "I know. You have been blessed by my gracious" - Jace snorted - "hands."

"So, anyway, where's Magnus?" Izzy asked. "I figured you would let out all your worry and concern over Jace out on him, in bed," she smirked.

"Nope. I wanted to spend quality time with my brother. Be a good brother!" I sipped my beer.

Jace looked at my beer with longing. "Want to be a good brother, give me a beer?"

"Jace," Izzy snapped. "You just suffered from alcohol poisoning and you want another beer?" Jace nodded. Her eyes widened in shock. "Are you an alcoholic or something?"

Jace shook his head. "No." Yes. Yes, kids, he was.

She was hesitant, but still, she said, "Okay." She sat on the couch, putting her feet on the coffee table. Jace gave her a look, and she took her feet off. "You are annoying, you know that, Jace?"

He grinned, "You love me."

"Not with that hair, I don't! And that chipped tooth?" She laughed.

Jace gasped. He ran to the bathroom and checked his hair in the mirror. Immediately after he ran, he got a pounding headache.

"No running in the house," Izzy drawled.

"Fuck you," Jace said. He leaned against the sink. "Can you hand me some pills?"

Izzy was hesitant, still having suspicions that Jace was an addict, but ultimately gave it to him when he growled.

"Fine," she handed it to him. He took out two pills and popped them into his mouth and swallowed them.

I went home that night to Papa, and Izzy and Jace went to their rooms and slept. Or at least Jace tried to. He was to busy thinking about the nurse . . ."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter of my new story. I hope you liked it!
> 
> One line preview: "You know you have hit rock bottom when you use your alcohol addiction to get a girl."
> 
> Thank you and good night!
> 
> Review and Follow and/or Favorite . . .


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Jace is sick, Alec grows more concerned about Jace's drinking. Izzy runs into someone she met recently and didn't like very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ophelia, The Lumineers
> 
> Thunder, Imagine Dragons

 

* * *

_The Lightwood's apartment_

_12:30 p.m._

_February 1st_

_A week later_

"Now, kids, Jace had gotten sick that weekend. And he would call it, "the worst thing to ever happen to me since I was discharged from the army." Of course, Jace was being completely serious when he said this. He hated being sick. Which, looking at later events, is ironic.

ACHOO!

As said before, Jace had been sick.

All weekend. That was only one of the several sneezes he had released during the prior two days.

"I forgot, being sick sucked," Jace grumbled, slurping soup. He sat on the couch, cross-legged, a blanket draped over his shoulders. His face was red, probably from his fever.

Izzy clapped his shoulder happily. "I know, but we all suffered, only fair you do, too." See, Jace hadn't been sick since he left Afghanistan, but after being in the hospital - which he blames for his sickness - he had gotten sick.

Jace grumbled something else, but it was muffled by the sound of several gunshots going off. Izzy jumped up, yelping. "What the hell was that?" She screeched.

I'll admit, I was a little panicked as well - Okay, a lot of panicked, but Jace was the picture of calm. He snorted, lying back on the couch cushions, smirking. "Your idiots." He pointed to the screen. "It's the movie I'm watching."

Izzy glared at him, obviously unhappy with the insult. "Whatever," she snapped. Police sirens blared, again from the movie. Izzy glared at the T.V. then at Jace. "Turn it down," she snapped.

Shaking his head, he smiled. He held up the remote and muted the T.V. "Better?" He rose an eyebrow at Izzy.

"Extremely, thank you," she said with a big mocking grin.

Jace was about to whip a comment out but was cut off by his loud coughs. Once the coughing dialed down, Izzy smiled worriedly at him.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get some medicine?"

"Iz, no -" But then he started coughing again, and it seemed to be causing pain because he clawed slightly at his chest.

"I'm getting you medicine, end of discussion." She sat up, grabbing her purse from the coffee table. He tried to protest, but the attempt was futile for when he opened his mouth, another set of coughs racked his body. "What was that? Couldn't hear over your disgusting coughs."

He glared at her, his face very red.

"Thought so," she turned and opened the door, grabbing her coat and heading out.

Once she was gone, Jace unmuted the T.V., grumbling about how he didn't need any medicine.

* * *

_CVS_

_12:40 p.m._

As Izzy walked into the pharmacy, she saw a man she was sure she had seen before. Walking closer, she got a look at him. He had brown hair and glasses. Sammy, she thought, trying to recall his name. She stared at him, trying to remember. He looked the exact same as last time, she had noticed. Just with a different t-shirt. See, at that point, he was wearing a shirt that said Rock Solid Panda.

Deciding that just standing there and staring at him was more embarrassing than just talking to him, she walked over.

"Hello," she said, tapping him on the shoulder. He turned, and when he saw her, his cheeks flushed. He looked her up and down, assessing her outfit. Black skinny jeans, a black wool sweater that had a low v-cut, and high heels. Her hair was straight, falling wispily over her ears.

He gulped. Izzy was having fun seeing how he reacted. "I remember you."

He had looked nervous. "Huh," he said. "Jee, I don't remember you."

She laughed. "Pretty sure we took a taxi together to the hospital."

He laughed nervously, looking down. He shifted his weight onto his other foot. He looked up."Yes, you're . . . Izzy?"

"Yup," she popped the 'p'. "And you're . . . Sammy? Something like that."

"Uh, no." Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Simon."

"Oh!" she said. "I'm sorry, Simon."

He muttered something under his breath. "What was that?"

He sighed. "Your brother said you acted like a bitch when your drunk. I see now he was wrong."

"Excuse me? Alec said that?" Izzy had been hurt and angry at me. She couldn't believe I had said that. "Really?"

He nodded. "How was he wrong?" She said.

He grinned. "Well, see, your not only a bitch when your drunk, but you're a bitch when you're sober . . ." She scoffed. "Unless you're not sober right now."

She bit her lip, fighting back the urge to slap him in the middle of the pharmacy. "That was . . . rude!"

"No," he said. "How you acted towards me last week was rude, this is just the truth."

"What's a filthy little rat doing in this part of Manhattan, anyway?" She looked distastefully down at his clothing. "Especially dressed liked that."

"Well, I just came back from Afghanistan, and my friend lives in this part of Manhattan, and I'm staying with her."

"My brother just got back from Afghanistan, as well." She said, thoughtfully.

"Huh, what force? Maybe I know him."

She was about to respond, but her phone rang. She turned away from Simon, who had looked irritated with the interruption, grumbling about how it was rude to turn their back on people. She answered the phone. Spoiler alert: The phone call was from me. I was wondering where

the hell she was, and what was taking her so long.

"Izzy," I said through the phone. She glanced back at Simon, who had his arms crossed over his chest. "Where are you?"

"At the pharmacy. I got distracted," she said, smirking at Simon, who scoffed, looking offended.

"Well, hurry up. Jace isn't getting any better." I said, then I hung up the phone.

Izzy shoved the phone into her coat pocket and turned back to Simon. "Look, this was a lovely chat, but my brothers need me. Bye." She held her hand up and wiggled her fingers as a goodbye, leaving a scowling Simon.

* * *

_Lightwood's Apartment_

_12:50_

What you kids don't realize was how stupid your uncle was. See, after I got off the phone with Aunt Izzy, I saw Jace drinking a beer. Now, you may wonder what's wrong with that. What's wrong with that was that that was really out of character for Jace. As I mentioned before, he used to never drink. And then, poof! He did. And it was bad. After he had almost died from alcohol poisoning, he craved alcohol. It was disturbing, really.

I maybe would have let him off the hook for that beer another time, but he had been sick, like really sick, and he was going to take medicine soon, so it was bad for him to mix the two.

So, I yelled at him. "Jace," I had shouted. He looked at me. He was shocked.

"What?" He was annoyed. "Why'd you yell?"

"Why the hell are you drinking?" I yelled.

He glanced down at the cold beer in his hands, and then at me, and shrugged. "I wanted too." He was lying. He didn't just want to. It had been like he needed it.

"Who cares if you want too!" I yelled, snatching the beer from his hands.

He glared at me. "I do." He snatched the beer out of my hands and gulped the whole thing.

Some of it dripped down his mouth.

I started at him, horrified. "What the hell is going on with you?"

He shrugged. "Nothing." He sneezed.

"It's obviously something" I shouted, my patience finally breaking. "This isn't you! You never drank, and now you gulp it down like water!"

"What do you want me to say?" He yelled. "That it's some sort of cure to all my burdens and guilts? That I use it to drown out my sorrows, and I need it?"

I said nothing. That was exactly what I wanted him to say.

"It's not," he said, gently. "I am not the same person who refuses to drink or do anything like that anymore. I grew up. I'm not scared to drink anymore. It no longer plagues me. I let it go, I've matured."

"Killing yourself is not mature," I said quietly.

"I'm not killing myself," he growled. Jace knew something was wrong with himself. In reality, everything he said was a lie, and he knew it. He knew it every time he woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and panting from having a nightmare of his parent's death. But he was never going to admit it to his family. If he did, then it would only prove the worst: that there was something wrong with him. And he was never going to admit that.

"That's what everyone says before they kill themselves," I said.

* * *

 

_Lightwood's Apartment_

_1:00 P.M._

"I'm home," Izzy sang from the doorway. She pulled off her coat and hung it on the coat rack.

"Shh," Jace groaned from where he lay on the couch, a bundle of blankets and pillows. "I have a headache."

"Sure it's not a hangover?" I said from where I sat at the kitchen island.

"Shut up, Alec," Jace growled.

Izzy looked at the both of us, confused. She planted her hands on her hips and asked, "Okay, what the hell happened between you two."

Jace knew Izzy was going to side with me, especially after what she had seen a week before.

He didn't really feel like being yelled at. "Nothing. Give me the fucking medicine." He held out his hand over the couch's back pillow.

She stalked over to him. "Moody, moody," she muttered.

"Wait!" I shouted. Izzy looked at me confused, her hand in mid-air. Jace groaned, grumbling, "not again."

"What?"

"Jace drank a beer, medicine doesn't mix well." Izzy snapped her head at Jace, shocked.

"What the hell, Jace?"

"It was one beer, jeez, it won't kill me." He sat up, turning towards her and snatching the bottle of pills. He held them up, shaking them. "And neither will one of these." He popped one into his mouth, swallowing it dry. He dropped back onto the pillows, groaning.

"Jace, your so . . . stupid! What the hell is wrong with you? There is something wrong with you if you think drinking when your sick is good!" The words hurt deep. _What_ was _wrong with me?_ He had thought.

"Do you want to kill yourself? Is that it?" She yelled. When he said nothing, she continued. "Because that's what it looks like. Drinking every night, for a week straight?"

"Izzy," I said. "Stop."

She glared at me. "Why should I? He deserves to be yelled at! He drinks, and drinks. It's not healthy."

"Izzy," Jace snapped, having enough of her yelling. "Shut up. You're my sister. Not my carer, not my nurse. So, shut the fuck up."

"I'm your sister, so I do get to yell at you about being stupid. I get to yell at you and care about your health." She huffed and stalked over to her room.

"Your an ass, Jace, you know that?" I asked him. I got up and called Magnus - papa - and told him to pick me up.

* * *

_Hunter's Moon_

_A week later_

_February 8th_

_8 P.M._

After the episode when Jace was sick, we all walked on eggshells around him. Scared to set him off. As we suspected, he drank every night. The difference was that he went to the Hunter's Moon that night, as Jace would say, drinking away his sorrows. He sighed, placing his head on the counter and groaned.

"You okay?" Someone asked him. He looked up, seeing a woman. She had black hair, and she was Asian. Pretty, Jace thought. It was obvious she was a bartender, wiping a glass with a cloth napkin.

Jace shook his head. "Aww," the bartender laughed. "Can I guess?"

He nodded. "You won't get it. It's not the usual 'drown my sorrow out with alcohol' stuff."

She raised an eyebrow. "Okay," she bit her lip. "I have seen a lot of stuff, so I'm going to guess…" She studied him, tapping her fingers on the counter. "You . . . are a guy who . . . thinks that he is bad. Something is wrong with you. You think you mess up everything you touch, including your family. Who, I'm guessing, hates you."

Jace looked up at her, smirking. "And," she added. "Girl problems. As usual."

Jace nodded. "Okay, my family doesn't hate me. You're wrong. We are having a quarrel because apparently, I have an alcohol problem." He sipped his whiskey.

"Do I have to be worried about this 'alcohol problem'?" She eyed the drink in his hand.

He laughed. "No, no. My siblings are paranoid, that's all."

"Ahh, those are the worst. I'm sorry." She placed her hand on her heart. They laughed. "How about, because I pity you, I give you the next one on the house?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, grinning. "I like you." It was true. He really did like her. Being with her gave him a sense of freedom. No one was looking over his shoulder constantly like they were scared of what he would do. They were just being with him like he wasn't completely messed up.

She laughed again. "Many may disagree."

"Well, then they're stupid." She lifted an eyebrow at him. He held up his glass in appreciation. "I mean, anyone who gives a person a free drink because the pity them is a great person in my book," he explained.

"I don't think I have ever seen anyone be happy about being pitied," she said, amused.

"Well, then maybe I really do have an alcohol addiction, or I am really, really drunk. But, because I don't want to prove to you or my siblings right, I am going to blame it on my drunkness."

"Good idea."

"You know," Jace thought. "I think I do have girl problems."

"Really? Why do you say that?"

"Because a few weeks ago, I went to the hospital -" She was about to ask why, but he rushed out, "the reason is unimportant." She nodded. He continued, "and I met this girl, she was very pretty, and a spitfire. But then I got discharged, and I keep thinking about her!"

She stared at him, her head cocked to the side. "Well," she finally spoke. "It seems that you

happen to like her."

"What?" He exclaimed. "I can't. I'm totally in love with this other person, and I love them, but it didn't work out."

She nodded her head a couple of times in understanding. "I think I may give you another pity drink." He laughed. "Honestly, if you like her, and it seems you do, then it didn't work out with the other person, then go to this girl!"

He groaned. "Two reasons why I can't. One: I don't know how to find her, so . . ." She lifted both her eyebrows. "And two: Even If I did find her, she doesn't deserve to be a rebound."

She sighed, shaking her head. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, not understanding why she shook her head. Seeing his expression, she said, "I would never have pawned you for the considerate type. And I am actually giving you another pity drink." He smirked, liking that a lot.

She took his glass and poured another whiskey.

So, he sat there, talking with the bartender, laughing and joking. And for the first time in a long time, your uncle Jace enjoyed himself.

* * *

_Hunter's Moon_

_9:00 P.M._

By the time Jace's night was coming to a close, Jace was wasted. He had a lot of drinks in that one hour. So much that his new bartender friend had gotten worried. But when she rejected his requests for refills, he called for another bartender to get another drink. And soon, he felt the same symptoms he felt two weeks ago when he nearly died.

But Jace knew that what was happening was the same thing that happened two weeks ago. He was too drunk.

When Jace stood up, claiming he didn't feel good, he was unstable, falling back down on the stool. He closed his eyes, placing his head on the counter.

"Um, sir," the bartender asked, not knowing Jace's name, even at that point, "Are you okay? Do you want me to call someone?"

Jace barely heard her. He felt dizzy and hazed. He was aware of what happened around him; the chatter of the people around him, the cheers of people watching football on the T.V, the laughs, but he was disoriented.

"No," he mumbled.

"Sir," the woman asked again. "Are you okay?" When Jace didn't give a response, she said, "I'm calling an ambulance." That was the last thing he heard before he fell into the unconscious.

* * *

_Jacobi Medical Center_

_February 9th_

_Two weeks after Jace came home_

_5:00 A.M_

When Jace became self-aware again, he couldn't open his eyes, and his throat was raw. He remained calm, knowing that if he freaked out it wouldn't help. So he waited to regain complete control and conscience.

I had stayed the night after hearing that Jace had gotten admitted again. Izzy and I had fought over who got to stay with him. But in the end, I stayed because I was Jace's emergency contact, which I had happily reminded Izzy, who frowned, unhappy with the reminder that she wasn't. I was at Magnus - papa - and I's apartment, sleeping, when I received a call from the

hospital, telling me that your uncle Jace was taken to the hospital, OD'ing again.

I was furious. I lugged myself out of bed, throwing the covers off my body hastily, grumbling. I had woken Papa up. He sat up on his elbows and whispered to me in the dark, "What happened? Where are you going?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "Jace. He's in the hospital again . . ."

Magnus immediately stood up on the floor. "I'm going with you."

I was stunned. "What?"

"Well, this a hard time for your family - for you - and I'm going to be there for you. And as much as I hate to admit it, I care for Jace. He's family." Immediately, I fell in love with your father all over again. I walked over to him, pulled him by the elbows, and kissed him.

"I love you," I had whispered to him against the lips. He smiled and pecked me on the lips.

"I love you," he replied.

None of this was known by Jace when he opened his eyes and looked around the room.

Magnus had slept with me throughout the night, waiting for Jace to open his eyes. So, he was startled when he opened his eyes and saw a waking Magnus. As you, kids, know, Papa wheres very . . . exotic clothing, but when he wakes up, he has none of that. Therefore, Jace jumped back from where he lay.

Magnus snapped his head towards Jace, who calmed down. "Are you okay?" Magnus said rushing to Jace's side.

"Yeah, you just look really different not all dressed up," Jace said.

Magnus laughed. "Of course I do! What? Do you think I wake up like that?"

Of course, Uncle Jace knew he didn't, but he never really thought about that. "No, it's just strange."

Then I walked into the room, holding two cups of coffee. I handed one to Papa, kissing him on the cheek. "Eww," Jace groaned. We glared at him. "I don't want to witness that!"

"It's your punishment for almost dying," I said, gripping the ends of his bed.

Jace groaned. "That was uncalled for."

"Whatever, we're talking about this later." Jace rolled his eyes, not wanting to talk to me at all. "In the meantime, how do you feel?"

"Not good."

"Well, you did almost die," I smirked. He glared at me.

"Let's not bring that up again, shall we?"

"No, Jace -" I started, but then a nurse and a doctor came in. When Jace's eyes glanced at the nurse, he was filled with disappointment. Disappointment at the fact that it wasn't the red-headed nurse. I looked over at Magnus, who stared at Jace. It had been obvious he, too, saw the disappointment that flashed across his face. And we both knew why.

"Based on your records, you were admitted here about two weeks. Almost dying both times. And because this could be a sign of suicide, we'll be keeping you here overnight for observation. As well as a psych consult," The doctor told Jace, Izzy, Magnus, and I.

Jace didn't like the news. He thought it was unreasonable to think that he was suicidal. "I am not doing it," Jace protested. "I am not staying."

"Mr. Herondale, while you can deny the treatment, we strongly urge you to take it. We are concerned."

Jace growled. "I a -"

He tried to retaliate, but Izzy walked up to him, taking his chin in her hand, and forcing him to look at her. "Jace," she said with an eerie calm. "You have a problem. Okay? You are going to take the fucking consult, you will talk about your feelings, even if you want to be a stereotypical male, and you will listen to the doctor, or I'll call mom and tell about your problem." His eyes widened in fear.

We all knew that our mother - your grandmother - Maryse was strict. She raised us telling us not to pick up drugs, not to do bad things, not to drink a lot. And it wasn't just a regular thing, like all parents, she reminded us weekly. She threatened to cut off our money if we did.

After a few moments of silence on Jace's end, he said "fine," deciding it was better to take one consult than to be poor.

Once the doctors left the room, Magnus turned to Jace and drawled, "You know you have hit rock bottom when you use your alcohol addiction to get a girl."

If Jace hadn't been connected to millions of wires and an I.V, he would have punched your papa so hard it would have sent him flying. But, luckily, when he tried to move, he found that he couldn't, so Jace glared at him instead.

"Shut up, Bane." Jace lied down on the bed, breathing hard. Jace had been angry because he hated that Magnus had been right; he may have - deep down - tried to drink away his desperation for the girl. And he had hoped to see her again when he came to the hospital. And he didn't want anyone to associate the word addiction with him since he was sure of the fact that he was not an alcoholic."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One Line Preview: "He needs a therapist - or something!"
> 
> Goodnight (or day), Las Vegas (or where ever you live)!
> 
> Review and Follow and/or Favorite . . .


	4. Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec speaks up about his worries to Jace, straining Jace and Alec's relationship; Alec and Magnus fight; Jace sees someone who he really wanted to see and takes a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's All okay - Julia Stone
> 
> Someone Like You - Adele

_Jacobi Medical Center_

_February 10th, 2011_

_The Next Day_

_9:00 A.M._

Jace's greatest disappointment of the month was when he didn't see Clary when he woke up at the hospital the next day. He was hoping that he saw her. Like, he really hoped to see her.

If he didn't see her, it would all have been for nothing. Not that he wanted to be stuck in a hospital, with everyone thinking he was suicidal.

I had stayed all day and slept over, once again, and Magnus went home last night when visiting hours ended. Izzy had begged to be allowed to stay, but they denied her request, so she, too, left with Magnus.

He had the consult yesterday, and they deemed him not suicidal, or depressed. But still, I had my doubts. While Jace hated lying, he was a very good actor.

I, however, was not. My horrible acting skills caused problems between Magnus and I.

The night before, when I got the call about Jace's accident, and your father and I had been fighting. But because of the emergency, we pressed paused. And we know it's unhealthy, but it's something we do regularly. We happen to still do it.

At that point, your father and I had been together for two years. And we still hadn't met the parents. I mean, I had met his parents, but he hadn't my parents.

"I am so bored," Jace complained.

"Oh, shut up," I snapped, rolling my eyes. I had lost my patience with him. He was complaining about being bored in a situation that he put himself in; for a girl. A girl he didn't know - a girl who he met once.

"Hey." Jace raised his hands up. "Why are you snapping at me?"

"Because," I sighed. "Nothing is going right. Nothing. And, honestly, it's all your fault!"

"What?" If it was anyone else having this conversation with Jace, they wouldn't have seen the hurt that he had covered. "How is it my fault?"

"You have a problem, and it's ruining all our lives," I said, pleading that he would understand.

"Get out," he said. Jace wasn't able to believe what I had said. He thought I was being unfair. He thought I was wrong. Completely, and utterly, wrong. He was also one hundred percent hurt by what I said.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"Get out. If you think I'm such a hazard, then leave. If I'm so horrible, then get out."

"Jace, your being irrational," I reasoned.

"So, now I'm irrational? First I was an alcoholic, now I'm irrational?" He looked out the window, shaking his head, muttering something that to this day, I still don't what it was.

"No-"

I stood up, crossing my arms over my chest. "How are you getting back, then?"

"I'll call Izzy."

"Jace -"

"Please, leave." 

With that, I turned to leave. I looked back at him, and he was looking down at his hands, guiltily. Guilty of the fact that, just maybe, I was right. But he couldn't accept that I was right.

* * *

_Magnus and Alec's apartment_

_February 10th, 2011_

_9:30 A.M._

When I got home that day, feeling pretty bad about the things I had said to Jace, Magnus was sitting at his vanity, doing his makeup.

"Hey, babe," I called.

"Oh, Alec!" He clapped his hands together. "You're home! How's Jace?" Magnus asked, turning in his seat to look at me.

"Physically: good, but…I don't know." I sighed, shaking my head, truly feeling the exhaustion that had been slowly creeping on me all day. "He seems really different. Like, sadder, more irrational . . ."

"He needs a therapist - or something!" Magnus said, exasperated.

"He didn't even want the consult, he does not want therapy." I sat down on the bed, chuckling bitterly.

"Just suggest the idea -"

"No, no. Not from me. He's already so mad at me for saying he has a problem." I ran my hands through my hair.

"Talk to Izzy, see if she can talk some sense into him," Magnus suggested. He walked over to me and sat on the bed, putting his hands on my back and massaging my aching back.

"I'll try, but he is being so insufferably stubborn," I growled.

"Honey," Magnus said, softly, placing his hands on my shoulders and rubbing, effectively soothing me. "I can see this that eats at you. So, I'm pressing pause again. Okay?"

I nodded, my mind completely focused on the massage, on Magnus's gentle, but firm, hands on me. I moaned. His hands slowly crept down my back until he was holding me around the waist. And then, we were kissing.

He pulled away slightly, saying, "Let me help you relax." And I let him. He pushed me down onto the bed, his lips never leaving mine. He reached down between us and pulled his shirt off, then he pulled mine off.

We looked into each other's eyes, and we grinned dopily before kissing each other again.

And as we lay there, moments before un-pausing, Magnus kissed my chest, chuckling breathlessly, "I thought I was supposed to make you forget."

I laughed, but my previous actions left me too tired to respond, so instead, I fell into a deep sleep, cuddled into Magnus.

* * *

_Meanwhile . . ._

_Jacobi Medical Center_

_9:30 A.M_

Jace had been waiting patiently for Izzy. He had texted her, telling her that there had been a change of plans and that she needed to pick him up from the hospital.

Soon after I left, nurses entered with his discharge papers and wide smiles, again causing disappointment to stir in his stomach.

Izzy looked at Jace, an eyebrow raised. "Why do you look so grumpy? You're getting out! You didn't want to be here anyway, so now you can leave! Be happy!"

Jace looked at her. Honestly, he didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay, wait till Clary showed up - if she ever did.

He shrugged. "Are you ignoring me because I yelled at you? If so, 'man up'." She said using her fingers to make quotation marks.

"Izzy, I'm not mad at you. I'm just upset and unsettled about something Alec told me, that's all." That, and the fact that he was realizing that maybe he did have a problem after all.

She sat on the bed next to him, offering a smile. "Tell me what happened."

Jace looked at her warily, not believing she could be so understanding towards him, or that she was siding with him. When Jace remained silent and looked at her with suspicion, she sighed.

"Jace, I am just as much your sister as I am Alec's. Okay? Therefore, I am going to listen to both sides of the story, and pass then I will judgement."

He smiled and nodded, explaining the situation. When he was done, she said nothing. Unsure of what to say. She knew that agreeing with me would make him angrier, and she didn't want that, especially if the anger was partially directed at her.

"What do you think?" She asked, cautiously.

 _"_ _Of course there's something wrong with me!"_  Is what we wished he would say, and what he told himself on the inside, but sadly, he said, "Obviously I think he is wrong and overreacting." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Izzy sighed, nodding. "Let's finish this discussion at home." She stood up, waiting for Jace to get out of the bed.

He sighed and threw the hospital blankets off his body, throwing his legs off the bed. He bent down and picked up his sneakers, slipping them on and tying the laces. He stood up, gliding past Izzy and his belongings on the table.

Izzy followed him, grabbing her bag.

* * *

_Jacobi Medical Center's Lobby_

_9:35 A.M._

When Jace and Izzy got downstairs Jace reached for his wallet, insisting that he would pay for parking. But when he did, he found that it wasn't there.

Panicking, he searched for his wallet all across his jeans, looking down at his pants, searching for a bump in his pockets, patting his pockets for the feeling of a hard lump - but nothing.

"Shit," he muttered. Izzy turned around, her eyebrows furrowed together in curiosity and concern.

"What's wrong?"

"My wallet," he looked up at her. "I can't find it."

"Maybe you left it in the room?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Call the bank so they can freeze your card."

"Yeah." He nodded his head in agreement.

When he reached for his phone, he also realized that he didn't have that on him, either.

"Maybe you didn't have it on you in the first place . . ." She suggested.

"No, No. I bring my wallet with me everywhere."

He groaned. "It's probably in the room. Shit!"

Izzy's eyes gleamed with worry and amusement. Worry, because they had a lot of money, so Jace had just lost a lot of money. But amused because it was funny to see Jace panicking.

"Go see if you can go into the room!" Izzy said, waving her hands in a random direction, but Jace got the message: Go!

Jace hurried off to the elevators, pressing the button and waiting, leaving Izzy to pay for parking.

* * *

 

_Alec and Magnus's house_

_9:40 A.M._

We came out of the room in robes. Magnus's robe was adorned with glitter and sparkles, beads sewn into the fabric. He looked like a king to me.

As we sat down on the couch, Magnus said, "Un-pause."

I groaned, unhappy at the fact that I couldn't relish in Magnus's company a little bit longer.

I looked at him, and glared, my anger bubbling up. I wanted to start, but your father started.

"I can't believe you haven't told your parents yet!" Magnus said. He shook his head.

"Telling my parents has nothing to do with you!" I yelled sitting up. I didn't mean to yell, but all my pent up anger towards Jace was released toward your father. Even I could tell that Magnus was shocked by my outburst. "It has nothing to do with my feelings for you, and I'm sick of you thinking it's about that."

"Well, what else am I supposed to think?" Then he stood up, towering over me by two inches. "Two years! Two years to come out, to introduce me, and nothing! Your mother and father don't know. They haven't met me. We're engaged and we haven't even reached that milestone yet! It's important. How in the world can we take such a big step like marriage when we can't even get past parents?"

"It just isn't a good time to introduce you to my parents," I argued, my anger wavering.

But your father's anger hadn't wavered. "Not a good time'?" He laughed bitterly. "Bullshit. There will never be a good time. When will you tell you parents about us? After the wedding?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Of course not. I'll tell them."

"When? Why haven't you? I have introduced you to my parents. You have introduced me to everyone but your parents! I bet you haven't even come out officially, have you?"

I sighed. "No, I haven't."

"Why am I not surprised?" He shook his head, disappointed. He looked at me. "You're a coward. Scared to face the truth. To face your parents."

Before Magnus had uttered those insults, my anger had dissipated. But after, my anger spiraled. I was utterly offended. And I tell you, kids, that there have only been five times where I have lied in my relationship with your father.

"I'm not scared of my sexual identity. I am no ashamed. I am not scared of my parents. I am scared of what my parents would think of you, with your" - I waved my hand at his robe - "eccentric clothing, and your loud personloity. I'm scared you'll embarrass me infront of my parents!"

That was the first time.

Magnus stared at me, his brows bunched together in confusion and hurt, but then they cleared. He swallowed thickly, and nodded.

"I can't believe you feel that way. You should have just told me that in the beginning."

"Magnus -" I already regretted my words.

He held his hand up. "I need time to process how you feel for me. Process if I still want this." He motioned between the two of us.

* * *

_Jacobi Medical Center's Lobby_

_9:40 A.M._

Izzy placed her bag on the long, marble reception desk, pulling out her wallet from her bag. She shook her head in unsurprised disappointment.  _Of course_ , she thought to herself,  _he forgets his wallet and phone._

She pulls out a twenty and hands it to the security guard. "Thank you," she says, offering a smile. She turns, walking to one of the seats in the middle of the room.

She sits down with a big heave of annoyance. All she wanted to do was go home. She was bored, and tired.

Your aunt had went clubbing the night before, trying to find some guy to go home with since the apartment was free from other inhabitants - Jace.

She pulled out her phone, checking her Twitter and Facebook. But soon, she got bored of that as well.

She put her phone down onto the arm rest, sighing again. (She was doing a lot of sighing.)

She sat for a minute or so, bored, until the guy that she met in the cab and in the CVS came in. She was seeing him around a lot. She rose an eyebrow at him, smirking. He walked straight to the reception desk, talking to the man.

Your aunt, admittedly, was attracted to him. He was a "hot geek" - as she put it. His hair was shaggy, his jeans ripped in some places, and she found his weird, ever-changing, band shirts endearing.

But that wasn't revealed until a while later.

"Hey," Izzy called, excitedly from where she sat. She moved her body forward, her elbows perched on her thighs. She waved her fingers in the air. "S-Simon!"

He turned, his brows furrowed. They cleared up upon spotting your aunt. He rolled his eyes, leaving Izzy offended. And it was clear that she had been offended by the action since her eyebrows rose incredulously. Her mouth gaped, and she leaned back, surprised.

He sighed, then walked over to her. "Hello, Izzy?" He said, looking down at her.

"You," she said, getting up. "Are just as rude as I remembered."

"And you are just as annoying and bitchy."

She shook her head, biting her lip to refrain herself from shouting. She looked him up and down, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing here? Are you stalking me or something?"

His face contorted into disgust. "Why would I stalk  _you_?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I just happen to run into you quite a bit."

"Well, that's true. I am actually here to see my friend," he explained.

"Oh," she said. A knot formed in her stomach; guilt. Here she was accusing some random guy of stalking her when someone he cared about was hurt. "I'm sorry. What happened to your friend?"

"Oh, nothing." He was surprised by her apology. "She's a nurse here, that's all."

"Oh."

"Yeah," he replied. After a moment of silence, he asked, "what are you doing here."

"Picking up my brother from the hospital. He forgot his stuff in his room. He's getting it now."

"Same brother from a few weeks ago?"

"Yep," she said, nodding.

"What happened?"

"Alcohol poisoning. He keeps almost dying."

"I knew a guy who used to never drink, and he boasted the fact around a lot." He talked about the guy with a faint sorrow and longing. "And then, after a while of seeing and being in war, he drank. And it was bad. He became an alcoholic. No one liked him after." He sighed. "Except me. Then he got injured and left. I was sent home a few weeks ago. I have no idea where he is. I hope he isn't dead, that's for sure."

"That's sad. I actually feel bad," Izzy said.

"I guess. I better go find my friend." He walked over to an elevator, taking the elevator that Jace hadn't taken, something Izzy noted coincidentally.

* * *

_Jacobi Medical Center_

_9:35 A.M._

When the elevator doors finally opened, Jace looked around franticly, racking his brain trying to remember where his room was.

Finally remembering, he jogged down the halls and corridors, hoping that they didn't clean it out.

Once he found it, he sighed in relief. He opened the door. It hadn't been cleaned out. That was obvious since his bed was unmade and his stuff was on the table. Where he left it.

He quickly walked over, grabbing his wallet.

He double checked to see if his credit card and cash, along with his driver's license (not that he ever used it) was still there. It was. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

Grabbing his phone, he tucked it into his phone. He would check his emails and messages later, he figured.

He walked out the door, but stopped abruptly. The nurse he had been pining - not pining, thinking about repeatedly, as Jace put it - stood at the receptionist desk. She was holding a tablet, her finger gliding across it.

He was flabbergasted. No words came to mind. All he knew was that he had to introduce himself.

"Hey, Clary?" He said, walking over to her.

She looked up from the tablet, confused, and she only got more confused once recognizing him.

"Sir?" She looked at him warily. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick?"

"I'm fine," he said, flashing a grin.

She looked thoroughly confused. "Then what are you doing here?"

"I got alcohol poisoning again, then I got discharged, but I forgot my phone and wallet, then I saw you, and I wanted to say hi." She nodded, raising an eyebrow.

Jace saw Clary's face flicker with surprise and shock, also a little fear.

They stood in silence for a moment until Jace said, "Well, hi."

Clary flashed a forced smile. "Hi." She breathed out, "I have to go." She placed the tablet under her underarm, walking by him.

She would have walked away completely, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Wait," he pleaded.

"I have to go. My friend is coming here."

"Wait - just." He sighed in frustration. "Will you go out with me this weekend?" He did it. When I learned that he actually found the nurse and asked her out, I was honestly surprised. I never thought he would actually have the courage.

The nurse - Clary - hesitated, her eyebrows flying up. "Um . . ." She swallowed. "I'm sorry, but no."

Jace was crest-fallen. He sputtered. "What?"

"No," she repeated.

"Why not?"

"I'm not sure I want to be with someone who has gotten alcohol poisoning twice in about two weeks . . ." She explained, looking down at her hands.

At that, Jace no longer wanted to go out with her. He let go of her arm, disgust and anger evident on his face.

"Why is that a problem?" He said, trying to keep his breathing under control. He already knew the answer. It angered him more than it should have. But at that moment, all he saw was someone else judging him and making assumptions about him, which he was adamant were wrong.

She bit her lip. "Because it may be a sign of alcoholism."

"Yeah, I've been told." He turned and walked to the elevator that he ridden up in. 

* * *

_Jacobi Medical Center_

_9:40 A.M._

She watched as Jonathan - Jace - clicked the elevator button and waited or the doors to open, watched as the doors opened and he walked in. She felt a pang of guilt when he turned to click the floor number and he spared a resentful glance at her. When the elevator door closed, she gave a big sigh of relief.

Clary wanted to say yes to him. I know, since she told me. But that comes later. She wanted to say yes. She liked him. He was respectful, had self-respect, good-looking, charming. But he was also an alcoholic, at least she thought so. And that was a problem for her.

It wasn't that he was an alcoholic, well, it was, but if it wasn't for her past, she would have dated him regardless, being a personal touchstone for him - she always wanted to be a touchstone for people, it's why she was nurse.

A second later, she heard elevator doors open. She knew it was the other elevator - the one Jace didn't take. How could it be? That one had just left.

When the elevator doors opened, she smiled. Simon. Her brown-haired, glasses-wearing best friend walked through the elevator doors, wearing a t-shirt with a new band name.

She smiled. "Hey, Si!" She said, walking over to him.

"Hey, Clare," he said, waving.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, I was near the hospital, and I decided to visit." He shrugged.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why would you visit me? You live with me."

He groaned, throwing his head back. "Fine," he laughed. "I was bored, so I figured I could just come here and you could entertain me!"

"Why would you be bored," she asked planting her hands on her hips. "It's New York City! So many things to see and do!"

"Don't do that," Simon said, shaking his head. "You sound like one of those New York tourist ads, it's creepy."

Clary laughed. "Sure I do."

"I swear." His eyes widened. "You do. You should quit your job as a nurse and become a tourist guide. Be so much better!"

She elbowed him. "Shut up," she chuckled.

"I only speak the truth," he teased.

"So," he said. "Anything new going on?"

She gave him a look. ""It's been like four hours since I saw you, what could have happened?"

"I don't know, it's why I asked."

"Well," Clary sighed.

His eyebrow rose. "What?"

"I got asked out," she confessed, shrugging.

Clary felt relief at the fact that she didn't see a single ounce of jealousy in his face when she said it; he finally really did move on. See, you kids probably didn't know - actually you wouldn't know anything about this story, but your Uncle Simon had liked Clary long ago, even before this story started.

Clary had already had the suspicion that his feelings changed the first night she saw him after two years.

He had acted differently: He no longer stared at her when he thought she wasn't looking, or tried to make her happy all the time. He moved on. She didn't know why, or how - or who! (she knew there was a who involved.)

"What did you say?"

"No . . ."

"Why?" He cocked his to the side.

"Pretty sure he was an alcoholic . . ."

"Oh."

Simon also knew of Clary's great discomfort with alcoholics - and it wasn't because of alcoholics, but it's she didn't trust them, to another level. She compared every alcoholic to her mother.

"Not everyone is like her," Simon said.

"No," she agreed. "But I don't want to risk it."

After Clary's father died when she was young - four, I think -, her mother fell into depression, and alcohol was her coping device. It didn't work well. Her mother had drank every day, and was drunk every night, and then she had finally died of alcohol poisoning when she was ten.

They were rich, so she inherited all the money when they died. She went to a foster home, where she met her current father - Luke Garroway.

She doesn't like to remember that. And while she could work with alcoholics, being personally attached to one caused her sadness and fear.

Simon grabbed Clary's hands and said, "stop being so damn scared. With you around, they will surely stop."

She smiled. "Look, Simon, thank you. I want to, but it would just be best if I didn't get attached, okay?"

He gave an exasperated sigh. "At this rate, you'll be a sixty year old - virgin - cat lady!"

"Hey," Clary protested. "I am not virgin! You may be one, but remember, I am two years older than you. I am not a virgin."

"I'm not," Simon murmured, his cheeks flushing. Though, Clary couldn't hear him.

"What was that?"

"I am not a virgin," he said louder.

"Really?" She asked, though she already knew. She knew that he had fallen for someone else in Marines Corps.

"Yeah. We met, fell in love, and it didn't work out . . ."

Clary didn't know it hadn't worked out, however. So she put a comforting hand on her friend's arm. "Why didn't work out?"

"They got discharged; injury."

"I'm sorry, Si. Is she okay?"

Simon's expression flickered. "Actually -"

"Hey," Clary interrupted, a bright gleam in her eyes. That was so Clary. "I know what will cheer you up!"

"What?"

"Let's go to Central Park," she said, grinning.

* * *

_Jace and Izzy's apartment_

_10:05 A.M._

"And so she rejected me," Jace finished saying as the two stepped into the apartment.

"What a stupid reason - and invalid one . . .You aren't an alcoholic," Izzy said, though she did he think he was.

"Thank you!" He sat on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. "I hate love." He put his feet up on the counter. "Stupid love!"

Izzy sat down next to him, her legs folding under her thighs. "You should make up with Alec," she said.

Jace groaned, rubbing his hands over his face.

"You should," she insisted, poking him in the arm, garnering a glare from Jace.

"Stop." He stood up. "I'll make up with him once gets these idiotic ideas out of his head, okay?" He walked away from the gray, L-shaped couch, and into the hallway. The next thing Izzy heard was the sound of a door slamming.

* * *

_Central Park_

_11:00 A.M._

I was sitting and thinking on a bench in Central Park, since my apartment had been right next to it, and the fresh air and plants calmed my busy head. Izzy had called me, explaining how Jace had gotten rejected, and why. I couldn't blame the nurse, Clary, but I still felt that she was judging him and what he does before she got the chance to know him, which was very unfair.

She then told me that Jace wasn't going to forgive me, not until I gave up my "idiotic" ideas. I wasn't mad at him, but I wasn't going to apologize for being concerned, that's for sure! I was right, and he couldn't accept that.

And then I told her about my problems with Magnus - she wasn't helpful, at all.

I had no idea how I was going to make Magnus forgive me. Going up to him and explaining wasn't going to work. He didn't want to hear my excuses.

I was left alone with my thoughts until I heard a laugh from my right. I subconsciously opened my eyes, which i hadn't noticed I had closed in the first place, and look to my right.

It took me a moment, but I recognized the two people laughing - Clary and Simon. Simon; the guy from the cab. Clary; the nurse.

They didn't notice me, and I hoped they wouldn't. But after a few seconds, they stopped. Simon turned, and then he spotted me.

He told something to Clary, and she looked at me. She seemed puzzled, but then she smiled and nodded. They walked over to me, smiling.

"Hey, you're the guy from the cab - Alec?"

"Yep, and you are also the guy from the cab," I stated. I looked at Clary, though she didn't recognize me. To be fair, we hadn't spoken to one another.

"Nice to meet you," Clary said, holding out her hand for me to shake. I took it, smiling.

"I'm Alec," I said.

"Clary," she said.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked Clary. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"It's a public park, right?" She chuckled awkwardly.

"No - no. I thought you would be working," I explained.

"My shift ended," she said.

Just then, Simon's phone rang. "Sorry," he said, pulling it out. "Be right back." He walked away. Far enough that we couldn't hear each other.

"So," Clary said, sitting on the bench next to me. "What are you doing out here?"

"Thinking. I got into a fight with my fiancé, and . . ." I sighed.

"What was it about?"

I looked at her, surprised that she would want to listen to some stranger's story. "Really?"

"Yes." She nodded.

So I explained it; everything. I explained how Magnus was like, how I was like, what the fight was about, and she nodded her head encouragingly, then when I was done, she gave me some advice.

"Seems to me that you should go all out! He wants to see that you are not embarrassed by eccentricity and bizarre things. 'Go big or go home!'" Then she added as an after thought, "Well, if you decide not to go big don't go home. You live together."

That made me laugh.

"Any other drama?" She said.

"Oh," I groaned. "My brother, we're also fighting. He's upset about me thinking he is an alcoholic, and . . ." I sighed. Then I rembered. "You know." I turned to her. "You rejected my brother," I told her. Her eyes widened, and she gasped.

"You're Jonathan - Jace's - brother?" I nodded. "But you look nothing alike!"

"He's adopted," I explained.

"Wow," she said.

"You should give my brother a chance. He's nice, arrogant and annoying at times, but nice. And he likes you."

"I don't trust -"

"I know," I interrupted. "You don't trust alcoholics." She looked startled by my knowledge of her. "My sister told me," I said as an explanation. I don't think she got it--I am sure she hadn't got it cause later, I remember, I had to explain it to her. "You can trust him. Just give him one chance. One. See if he's anything like you think he'll be."

Then Simon came up to us, apologizing for interrupting our conversation. "It's okay," Clary said. "We were just finished."

She stood up, and turned said good bye. So did Simon.

As she walked away, she turned to look at me, and stared. Then she

sighed, telling Simon something. She jogged up to me.

"Give me his number," she said.

I knew who she was talking about. "Really?"

"Really." She handed me her phone, a new contact ready to be made. I typed in Jace's number, which I memorized, and handed the phone back.

"Thanks," she said before jogging back to Simon.

* * *

_Alec and Magnus's apartment_

_6:30 P.M_

Magnus was still upset with me. So I knew I had to do something big for him to forgive me. Therefor, I listened to Clary's advice - "Go big or go home" - , decorating the whole living room in flowers and candles. Roses were spread along the floor. Now, I was just waiting for him to come home.

I waited on the couch, reading a book. I don't remember the name anymore - mostly because the detail was so small compared to what was going to happen next.

When I heard the door knob turn, and the sound of keys jingling, I jumped up.

Then in came Magnus. He was about to say something, but stopped when he saw the room.

He looked around, his eyes softening.

"Alexander, what did you do?"

"I love you," I told him, walking up to grab his hands and intertwine them. "I love you for you. All of you."

He didn't smile, just glanced at me. "Then why haven't you told your parents?"

I gave a heavy breath. "Because I know they won't like it."

He looked confused. "I need to tell them gently, in a small, subtly way. And you aren't subtle, at all. They aren't going to like it. I know it. And I want them to like you, us."

"I'll tell them, just gently, and slowly. I will tell them, because this is happening. I'm just scared that they won't love . . . you, the way I do!"

He was silent for a moment, and I was hoping I convinced him. But then he smirked. "Well," he said. "I hope they don't love me the way you do, or that'd be weird."

His comment caused me to laugh, and then he laughed, too. And then we were kissing, and then we were happy. And then we were making love surrounded by roses, flowers, and candles. It couldn't have been more cliche.

* * *

_Izzy and Jace's apartment_

_6:30 P.M_

Jace was doing sit-ups in his room, something he liked to do when he wasn't at the gym and he wanted to cool down. Exercise and reading - his two escapes.

He had finished his last set for the night when someone called him. He hoped it wasn't any of his friends wanting to hang out. He was tired, and sad.  _Maybe a drink . . ._ he had thought.

 _No_. Jace didn't want to prove us right. He wouldn't have another beer.

He shook his head, cleaning his thoughts. He looked at the I.D. It was unknown, just the number popping up. He took a shot, answering it. And he would later be glad he did.

"Hello?" He said into the phone.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, so Jace said, "Good bye."

He was about to press the end call button, but then he heard a "wait" come through.

At that point, his patience was thinning."Look," he said. "I don't know what scam or ad this is, and quite frankly, you're pretty bad at it, so goodbye."

"It's Clary, the nurse," the other person said. Jace froze, his eyes widening. Never did he think would she call him.

"How the hell did you get my number?" He yelled, fearing she was some creepy stalker.

"Your brother," she said.

"What?" He said, thoroughly confused. "How -"

"I'll explain on the date," she interrupted.

"Date?"

"Yes," she said.

"You said no . . ."

"And I'm saying yes now. So, this Friday, 8:00 P.M. I don't work that day." Then she hung up, leaving Jace flabbergasted. And honestly, he was a little reluctant about going out with her that Friday; he was still angry about her saying he had an alcohol problem . . ."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One Line Preview: "I had a good time. I would love to do this again, maybe make it something more . . . official?"
> 
> Have a nice life!
> 
> Review and Follow and/or Favorite . . .

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Review. 
> 
> whatever my username is, out. *Drops the mic*


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